Helping in the Devastation of the Türkiye Earthquake

The devastation of the Türkiye earthquake is tremendous.* This Turkey quake has destroyed buildings, homes and businesses stretching a staggering span of nearly 300 miles.

The graphic in this video shows the destruction zone in Turkey after those two massive earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks. As a comparison, it’s similar to the area stretching from New York City to Washington, D.C., including New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and part of Pennsylvania. The country faces a massive rebuilding program.

Additionally, millions of Turkish citizens are suffering from post-traumatic stress from their harrowing and traumatic experiences, like Abdulkerim Arserim. He shared his story. “The ground floor of our building was gone. They threw a rope. I tied my children and they went down, then my wife, then me.” He continued, “Of course, we had no socks, no shoes. Then the building collapsed. We didn’t believe we would be rescued. We thought death had come at that moment.”

Devastation of Turkey Earthquake Has Cost at least 37,000 Lives

death toll turkiye earthquake — Death toll as of 2/14/2023 – and it continues to rise

The devastation of the Türkiye Earthquake has spawned grim statistics. The combined death toll between Turkey and Syria currently stands at about 37,000, with tens of thousands more injured and hundreds of thousands left homeless. Furthermore, that death toll is expected to rise over coming days and weeks, perhaps even to double.

Humanitarian Support for Earthquake Victims

In order to provide material support and hope to the Turkish people, Operation Blessing mobilized within hours of the earthquake. They recruited volunteers like Carin Cochrane. She shared, “As soon as the earthquake happened I was like, ‘I’ve got to get on the ground and help in any way I can.’ So I got connected with Operation Blessing, and here we are…. It’s amazing to be able to be a part of bringing any aid and relief to the Turkish people in this time.”

In addition, Diego Traverso, Operation Blessing’s International Director of Disaster Relief said Turkey is a critical place to be. “Because we want to be in the center of the action where the people need it. Keep praying for us. And keep praying for the victims. Keep praying for our volunteers, for our additional teams who are deploying right now. The help is so needed.”

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Click here for the latest on Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*New official spelling of Turkey

On the Ground Doing Relief Work in Turkey

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TURKEY – A convoy drove through the night last night to reach our disaster relief team on the ground with truckloads of vital supplies. Compassionate friends like you have enabled us to significantly ramp up our disaster relief work in Turkey.*

It took the convoy nine hours to make what would normally be a four-hour trip because of intense traffic heading into the disaster zone. A wide-scale humanitarian effort involving charitable organizations and rescue teams from around the world is now underway. Operation Blessing’s staff and volunteers are right in the middle of it.

Humanitarian Efforts in Turkey

Operation Blessing's humanitarian effort in Turkey.

The death toll in Turkey and Syria has risen to over 36,000. Our head of International Disaster Relief, Diego Traverso, said, “I never thought in 10 years of working in disasters that the magnitude of this disaster was possible. The despair and the suffering are huge, and Operation Blessing is here to support the victims.”

The disaster zone is being compared to the size of Great Britain, and the earthquake has affected as many as 14 million people. Almost every building in the region of Hatay, where we’re now working, is either uninhabitable or completely destroyed.

Charity organization, Operation Blessing, reaching out in Turkey.

Thankfully, with help from compassionate friends like you, we are on the ground doing relief work in Turkey. We’re receiving truckloads of vital supplies and distributing them in some of the hardest-hit areas. We’re handing out relief items like food, drinks, diapers, fuel, solar lights, and hot meals. Our team of staff and volunteers is multinational, multilingual, and multigenerational.

Charitable Organization Reaches Out to Earthquake Victims

With your support we can continue to bring comfort, help, and—perhaps most importantly—hope to those in need.

Reaching out to earthquake victims in Türkiye

In addition, Traverso said, “Today we’re going to set up a soup kitchen, hopefully two of them…. for the rescue teams and the people that were affected by the earthquake.”

Thank you for your kindhearted support of the precious people in these shattered communities. Traverso wrapped up by saying, “Pray, pray, pray for sure. And if you can donate in some way, please do it. People need it, and it will help us to extend our humanitarian footprint here. We are going to be able to do more of what we’re already doing. $1 goes really far here, and that’s amazing.”

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Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*Turkey is now officially spelled Türkiye

Comfort and Supplies for Turkey Quake Victims

Operation Blessing is providing comfort and supplies to Turkey quake victims.

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TURKEY – Operation Blessing is in Hatay, *Turkey, one of the most devastated areas after the recent earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. We are providing comfort and supplies to Turkey quake victims.

Operation Blessing on the ground offering comfort in Turkey.

First, we started by delivering hot food and solar lamps, in addition to relief bags filled with hygiene supplies and other helpful items for the families. For the kids, we provided snacks, juice, and nutrition bars.

Families are expressing their gratitude for Operation Blessing showing up for them in this dark time. Our team has been walking through the rubble of the city, seeing many buildings with several floors that have collapsed into a heap. The devastation and destruction is overwhelming.

Kids being blessed after Turkey earthquakes. — providing supplies for earthquake victims

Tragic Aftermath of Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Rescue teams are still on the ground searching for victims. Please keep praying for them, and keep praying for the families that are being affected by this earthquake.

In addition, we saw many families living out of their cars. They are not sleeping in their houses, because they are afraid to return to them, or they’ve been destroyed. It’s estimated that hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes. And the death toll now stands at over 22,000.

Currently, our team is looking for ways to be even more effective with the aid we offer so that it helps the most people with the greatest needs.

Please Pray for Quake Victims

Thank you so much for your partnership. Operation Blessing is committed to being here and supporting the victims of the Turkey quake, because of you. Please join us in praying:

Father God, we ask that you would reach out to all of the shattered victims in Turkey and Syria. Soothe their hearts and minds, provide for their needs, and fill them with hope. We pray that the trapped will be rescued and that the injured will be healed. Give Operation Blessing wisdom to help in the most effective ways possible and to be a beacon of God’s love in this dark time. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Comfort for a heartbroken earthquake victims in Haiti.

You can help disaster victims immediately by visiting www.ob.org/disaster-relief today!

Help Disaster Victims Now!

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey.

*Turkey is now officially spelled Türkiye

When Food Feels Like a Miracle

KENYA – For several days, Rasianae tucked all four of her children into bed at night without any food. She didn’t have a choice. All the food she had was gone. She and her family were not just facing food insecurity, they were starving.

“They are young and don’t really understand why you can’t give them food,” said Rasianae. “It is a very painful thing seeing your children suffering like that.”

Getting Food Feels Like A Miracle In Parched Kenya

Her children became so weak, they could barely walk. Desperate, Rasianae begged for food from her neighbors, but they were facing the same situation. “Everyone is suffering and struggling,” she said. “There is nothing left for anyone.”

Last spring, the rains that so many people expected throughout Kenya never came. The ground became parched; the wells, dry. Crops and grass quickly dried up. By July, the nation had come face to face with severe drought. Like Rasianae, many Kenyans began living a nightmare.

“It was painful waking up every morning hoping to see signs of rain, only to wake up to the sight of my animals dying,” said Rasianae. When she took them out to graze, they couldn’t find anything to eat.

Like so many people in Kenya, Rasianae has long relied on crops and animals to provide food and income for her family. With both gone, she had no money to purchase food when her own supply ran dry. She tried to find work at a local shopping center, but very little was available.

Desperate, she sold what remained of her animals in order to feed her family. “The money I got from selling the goats was barely anything, and in no time, it was all gone,” she said. “Now we had no animals and no food, either.”

Her Children Went To Bed Hungry

The worst was watching her children suffer. Many nights, she simply had to send them to bed hungry. Once when she did find food to cook for her children, it made them very sick because they hadn’t eaten in so long. “All the food I had managed to get—and now it didn’t even help them,” Rasianae said, heartbroken. “That was such a loss!”

When we learned about the critical situation so many of our brothers and sisters were facing in Kenya, our Operation Blessing partners stepped in to fill the gap. Your love and compassion sent Rasianae and the families in some of the worst-hit communities a month’s supply of food to get them through the difficult days of the drought.

“Before you came here and brought us the food, we had gone three days without,” said Rasianae. “I thank God because this is a miracle.”

Because you reached out to them, Rasianae’s children were able to eat and go to bed with their bellies filled. “I feel happy today when I see my children eating the food that you have brought us. May God indeed bless you!” And you continued reaching out to these villages in the months that followed.

Thank you for your heart to bless people around the world! When food feels like a miracle to families like Rasianae’s, it’s arrival means that you made a difference!

Relief Supplies for Earthquake Victims

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In the aftermath of the earthquake, Operation Blessing is in southern Turkey right now. We’re working with a large group of volunteers from various organizations to prepare relief supplies for disaster victims.

We’ve been experiencing firsthand the pain and suffering of disaster victims in Turkey. The devastation from this massive earthquake is overwhelming as thousands of lives, homes, and businesses have been lost. People are traumatized, but we have a chance to reach out to them in love with tangible aid.

Team Prepares Relief Supplies for Disaster Victims

Right now, our team is prepping bags of relief items for affected families. As people struggle without basic necessities, some simple provisions can be life-changing—and can give people a little bit of hope.

International Disaster Relief Team leader Diego Traverso shares, “In these bags, we’re including hygiene products, food, water, and a solar lamp that can bring some light in this dark time for them. We’re still in the phase of assessing the need, but we are not going empty-handed, and we want to show up with something in hand so the people can be blessed. We want to thank Operation Blessing partners. Thank you for your prayers and support.”

Together, We Can Be There for Them

Operation Blessing will remain in Turkey, assessing the need and bringing solutions to shine light in a terribly dark time. We see that the need is great in the areas of water, shelter, and food, and we’re committed to bringing aid to the victims of this disaster.

When you support Operation blessing, you are there for precious families in Turkey who are suffering right now.

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

Help Disaster Victims Now!

On the Ground Reaching Out in Turkey – Please Pray

giving support to turkey earthquake victims

*As of 2/13/23 the death toll has passed 36,000

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People all across Turkey are weeping today. Many have seen the bodies of their loved ones being pulled lifeless from the rubble of ruined homes and businesses. Others aren’t sure if they’ll ever see their family members and friends again because so many are still missing. They are in desperate need of hope. And that means they need our prayers for the God of hope to help them.

Reaching Out in Turkey to Earthquake Victims

Friends like you aren’t leaving them on their own. You’re working in and through the Operation Blessing international disaster response team as our staff members on the ground collaborate with local partners to assess the areas of greatest need and offer relief. We are prepared to provide critical supply items for people who are without food, water, and electricity as we’re reaching out in Turkey.

Operation Blessing’s Diego Traverso shared these words, “Operation Blessing is on the ground in Turkey… And right now, the weather is not helping at all. The snowstorm is very intense. The weather is very, very cold. People are sleeping on the streets under a tarp. An Operation Blessing assessment team is here on the ground to see how we can reach the people that are in need right now. Keep us in prayer. Keep Syria and Turkey in your prayers.”

Operation Blessing is on the ground reaching out in Turkey.

Please Pray for Turkey

So please join us in praying for:

Our teams on the ground to have insight for where the work is most needed and what is the best help we can offer
Open doors of access for Operation Blessing and for staff safety
Search and rescue operations to find many more survivors
Protection for residents from continued aftershocks that have already cost lives
Displaced people who are struggling to find shelter and assistance
The weather to become less harsh so that those who are suffering can recover
Comfort for hopeless and grieving souls

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing reaching out in Turkey. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

Help Disaster Victims Now!

So No Child Goes to Bed Hungry

VIRGINIA – “Sometimes, I just don’t have enough.”

Delionne works as a medical assistant in Virginia. On the weekends, she leads worship at her church, Kingdom Investing Outreach Center. But as a single mother, sometimes her income just wasn’t enough—especially when the cost of food and fuel began to rise. Like so many Americans, food insecurity was a major problem for her.

This single mother of three children found solace at an Operation Blessing distribution center—her own church’s food pantry. “It’s already hard to have to come to a pantry because you don’t have enough,” said Delionne. But, she says, “As soon as you walk through the door, you experience God’s love.”

God showed that love through friends like you! Your care and heart for Delionne and her children gave her plenty of food to get them through the most difficult times. “I love that it’s not expired stuff. This is good stuff,” she said, “that my kids will actually eat!”

Blessing a Single Mother of Three

Addie, the ministry director of the pantry, says that’s exactly why they are there. “If somebody’s hungry, we want to feed them,” she told us. “We are about blessing people because we know that God is drawing people to Him through the food.”

Because of your love and support, the pantry currently serves nearly 200 families each week, almost double the number they served one year ago.

“Times are getting worse, and more and more people are needing food,” said Addie. “We think it’s a little thing, but it’s really not. It’s a big thing when a child doesn’t have to go to bed hungry at night.”

Delionne invites her friends and family to use the food pantry whenever they need to. “I know that when they come in, they’re going to feel good, and I know that they are going to feel the presence of God.” She is thankful for partners like you who make it possible. “Because of your heart, we are able to sustain. And if it wasn’t for your heart, we wouldn’t be able to sustain.”

hunger relief single mother virginia beach

Rushing Critical Aid to Turkey

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Operation Blessing Rushing Critical Aid to Turkey Following Deadly Earthquake

TURKEY (February 7, 2023) – Just one day after a catastrophic earthquake shook Turkey and Syria, the region has descended into chaos and darkness. But there is hope with Operation Blessing’s international disaster response team rushing critical aid to Turkey. Friends like you are a light in the darkness sending portable solar lanterns and other much-needed relief supplies into the fray to help those in desperate need.

And there are many, many people in need right now. With thousands of collapsed buildings in southeastern Turkey, millions are without shelter. Over 5,000 have been reported as dead at this point, but sadly there is no telling how high that number will soar as search and rescue operations continue. Please join us in prayer for the millions of people agonizing over lost and missing loved ones.

Friends Like You are Showing God’s Love

Operation Blessing President Gordon Robertson said, “It is heartbreaking…But Operation Blessing is doing something about it. We are sending an international team there right now to assess and then determine how we get our international centers mobilized just as we did for the Ukrainian refugee crisis, how we get the teams mobilized to do serious work on the ground, to help the refugees, to help those who are now homeless in the middle of winter. We want to be there for them in their time of need, to let them know that God loves them, and we love them too, and we want to be there and help them.”

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing’s Turkey response. To donate to disaster relief efforts, visit: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

Help Disaster Victims Now!

PRESS RELEASE – Help for Turkey Earthquake Victims!

Operation Blessing Deploys International Disaster Relief Team to Turkey Following Deadly Earthquake

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (February 6, 2023) – Operation Blessing is deploying its International Disaster Relief team to Turkey to aid in the relief efforts following the deadly earthquake.

Diego Traverso, director of International Disaster Relief, is currently en route and is expected to arrive in Turkey this evening. Once on the ground, the team will begin distributing emergency relief supplies including portable solar lanterns, which are invaluable at night in disaster zones when the electricity is out. The Operation Blessing team will meet with local officials shortly to determine the best response in the coming days and weeks.

Traverso most recently led Operation Blessing’s ongoing efforts to help the people of Ukraine. Since last March, Operation Blessing has been providing relief both in that country, and to thousands of refugees that have fled Ukraine and crossed the border into Poland.

Stay tuned for more information about Operation Blessing’s Turkey response. To donate to the relief efforts: https://www.ob.org/disasterrelief/

No Longer On A Dangerous Path

MEXICO – Nine-year-old Brenda once became so sick, she couldn’t even walk. When her mother took her to a clinic to get help, the doctor told them the cause was the dirty water they’d been drinking. Brenda needed someone like you to come along and make a difference in her life.

“It’s hard to be told that’s what’s harming her—and that’s what I’ll continue giving her,” said her mother, Maria. “For me, it was very difficult to have my kids drink that water, but we didn’t have any other.”

When she was a child herself, Maria had to walk down a dangerous path every day to fetch dirty water in Mexico from a nearby river. Then she watched as her own children, including Brenda, had to do the same thing. As a widowed mother with few resources, Maria had no other choice.

The dirty water in Mexico made Brenda and her siblings sick. They missed school, and sometimes even got hurt along the path. But they had no other access to water, and neither did the other 13 families that lived in the remote community of San José el Paraíso, Mexico.

“It had many insects, and it was very dirty because the cows stepped in it,” said Brenda’s 11-year-old sister Elena of their water source. “I had to drink it fast.”

The family and surrounding village were in dire need of help. Brenda and her siblings prayed for a miracle. “We asked God for blessings from the heavens,” said Maria. “We have no resources.”

Now Her Children Do Not Have To Drink Dirty Water In Mexico

And God answered their prayers through generous friends like you. Your love helped provide 13 complete rainwater harvesting systems—one for each family in San José el Paraíso. They also received training and technical support.

Families and children like Brenda in the community no longer have to walk down the dangerous road to collect dirty water in Mexico that can make them sick. They can now drink safe, clean water right at home. Brenda and her family have a new life—thanks to the compassion and care of faithful Operation Blessing supporters.

“I’m happy because now all my family has clean water,” said Elena. “We don’t get sick anymore.” And we have more blessings on the horizon for them, like toilets and showers!

Maria can see a better future for her children now. “Our lives have changed and a lot! Thanks to you, thank you.”